his head before I turn and walk out ready to get this run over with.
Chapter 2
Molly
My stomach churns as bile races up my throat; it burns. My body aches, my head spins and I can’t focus.
“I don’t know why you always want to fuck me over Molly. Do you like it when I hit you?”
Blood trickles into my eye and blurs my vision even more. As my head lolls side to side Thomas strikes again.
“It’s my money. I told you that you were never leaving me.” Another blow lands and I see stars.
“Leave my mom alone!” Drake cries and pushes his way past Thomas to try to get to me. I try to raise my hands to stop him, but I’m too late. His little arms are already wrapped around my neck.
“Fucking brat. I don’t know why I let you keep that kid here. I told you I want him gone. Give him to his real dad,” Thomas screams even louder. I lift my arm and pull Drake as close to me as I can get him. Thomas storms from the room as the door slams shut behind him.
“Are you okay mom?” As Drake pulls away his little hands reach up to wipe the blood from my cheek. He wipes his hand down his jeans before looking at me again.
“I’m sorry Drake. Mom is going to get you somewhere safe. I promise,” I lie. I’ve said it over and over, again and again. Each time I try to steal a little bit of money from Thomas he figures it out. I’ve tried. God knows I have, but this is always the end result.
“It’s okay mom. We can do this. Let me help you,” Drake says while running his thumb up and down my cheek. That’s something I should be doing to comfort him, and yet he’s the one doing it for me.
“No, you’re too young.”
“I’m almost ten,” he reminds me. I let myself laugh a little. Taking a moment, I hold my son and revel in the boy that has brought me so much joy.
“You are almost ten. I can’t believe you’re that old already. It amazes me that we’ve made it this long,” I whisper and pull him into my chest.
I may not have been the best mother, and I may not have protected him the way I should have, but I did the best I could with what I had to work with. Now it’s time for him to have better. It’s time for him to live the life he’s supposed to be living. He needs to grow up without fear of watching his mom being abused until she passes out. He needs a life where he can play with other kids his own age and laugh. I can’t offer him that. I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to.
“We need to go as soon as Thomas leaves, okay? I need you to grab your run bag. Okay?”
Drake pulls back, looks up at me, and nods his head slowly. He’s watching me to see if I’m going to change my mind. I won’t. We have set up a small bag with everything that’s important to him. A change of clothes and his birth certificate are in a small bag that he can run with when the time came.
“Fucking bitch,” I hear Thomas screaming in the living room, and no doubt still pissed at me.
Drake turns with his head held high as he looks me in the eyes. Those bright green eyes are so much like his dad’s. They haunt me. It kills me to know what I threw away just to try to keep them safe.
“I’ll grow up and get stronger mom. I will. Then I won’t let him hurt you anymore.”
Tears stream down my cheeks as I hear the front door slam. I wait until I hear the truck start and back out of the driveway.
“Go grab your bag,” I tell Drake as I shove him toward the door.
I watch as his little worn out shoes leave the room with sad tears leaking out of my eyes. I should have been a better mother to him. He deserves so much more than the minimal things Thomas provides. Wiping my cheeks quickly I stand and hold my head up trying to balance myself. Drake runs back into the room with his backpack on.
“Are you sure we have to do this mom?” he asks softly.
“It’s the only way I’ll know you’re safe. Everything will be okay. I promise,”